Bakoyannis

Post-virus city

The much-beleaguered attempt to free up more public space in the downtown Athens area has come back to the fore at a particularly auspicious time. 

Athens to undergo radical facelift

After the ambitious vision of creating a large traffic-free zone in Athens more or less fizzled out at the end of the previous decade, the Athens Municipal Council breathed new life into the project on Monday after approving a proposal for an extended pedestrian network and a drastic reduction of cars in the city center.

Athens mayor presents proposal for extended pedestrian network

Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis on Monday unveiled a proposal for an extended pedestrian network in the center of the capital, dubbed "The Grand Walk."

The proposal was presented to Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos amid government plans to support cafes and restaurants which have been seriously hit by the coronavirus outbreak by allowing them extra space for outdoor seating.

Squaring the circle

People will most certainly love the revamped Omonia Square at the heart of Athens. Any comparison with what had been in its place over the past 15 years would, after all, be devastating. Sure, we must pay heed to the objections raised by architects, which are legitimate from an institutional point of view: An architecture tender should proceed a project of this magnitude.

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